Chris Rock the comedian in one of his stand up comedy routines stated: “There aren’t any white people in America that would be willing to trade their race with a Black person. That waiter standing over there in the corner wouldn’t trade race with me and I am rich! He would say, “I think I’ll try this White thing a little longer.”

 I like most people listening to Chris Rock’s routine bent over with laughter. However in the back of my mind I suspected that there was some validity to his statement. Is being Black really so bad that no white person would willingly trade places with a Black person? I always heard people say that if a White person could spend one day as a Black person he would never want to go back. Again I would bend over with laughter.

The truth is there are happy well-adjusted persons in all races. I love being Black. My experience as a Black man in America has been wonderful. Some may argue that my experience has been wonderful because I am a well-educated Black man; however truth be told my experience was wonderful long before I became educated. My first encounter with White people was in the fourth grade at S.C. Baskerville Elementary School in Rocky Mount, North Carolina. My fourth grade teacher was a White woman named Mrs. King who is currently in her late 90s. She was a wonderful person and a great teacher. It is my understanding from my childhood friend and classmate Helen Valdez that Ms. King is still alive. I plan to one day take her and my favorite black elementary school teacher Mrs. Jessie Pash who is in her 90s’ as well out to dinner one day.

 It would be interesting to know how many people would trade their race for another race if given the opportunity. A close friend of mine had an Indian customer who his assistant mistakenly listed as Black. The Indian almost had a heart attack when he noticed that he had been mistaken for a Black man. He loudly protested saying: “I AM NOT A BLACK MAN! I AM AN INDIAN FROM INDIA!” My friend said ok calm down; calm down we will change it! This is just another example of how people don’t want to be Black. It is m understanding that this Indian was darker than most American Blacks. He did however have straight black hair.

One day I predict that racial classification will be eliminated to the extent that the only classification will be “HUMAN” Why do we classify people by race if Race does not matter. In the Black Race we have all ranges of colors yet everyone within that racial classification is considered Black regardless of their complexion. Why can’t we do the same for all humans? Truth be told if there was a call to eliminate racial classification there would be people highly upset from all races. However it will be done sooner than you think. Just remember that you heard it in the Tuskegee Times first.

Greg Griffin is a free lance writer. You can read his previous article by visiting his web page at www.greggriffin.com